cent, that your generous offer has
taken me greatly by surprise. I feel most grateful to you for it, but
must implore you to allow me to pause, until at least I have heard from
my mother, to whom I will communicate the noble offer you have made to
me, a poor governess, who cannot but feel grateful to you for
condescending to think of her in such a way."

"Ah! say not so, my dear Miss Evelyn, and believe me, it is no sudden
impulse that has driven me to your feet, but ardent love, and real
admiration of your great beauty and admirable conduct ever since you
entered this family."

The dear creature smiled through her tears upon me when she recounted
those terms of affection that Mr. Vincent poured out to her.

To be brief--before they parted he won from her that his frequent
meetings at church, and elsewhere, had gained him something more than
esteem, but hopeless of ever becoming his wife, she had done her utmost
to suppress wanner feelings. Oh! woman, thy name is deception! So she
sent him away the happiest man in existence. He rode over every day
afterwards, and was with Miss Evelyn from four to five; indeed, he was
often the cause of our having half an hour's longer recreation. He also
frequently dined with us. Miss Evelyn's mother naturally jumped at the
offer, and most delightedly gave her consent.

When Mr. Vincent heard of this, be became very urgent in claiming an
early day for making him the happiest of men. Miss Evelyn wanted a
delay of six weeks, but this raised such an outcry on his part,
seconded by my mother, that at last she was driven from six weeks to a
month, and then to a fortnight from that date; so all became extremely
busy in getting ready marriage dresses, &c. The marriage was to take
place from our house, and my mother insisted that she should provide
the marriage breakfast. Mrs. Evelyn was invited to our house for a week
at the time of the marriage, to keep my mother company. My two sisters
and a young sister of Mr. Vincent's were to be the bridesmaids, and a
young man, courting Miss Vincent, to be bridegroom's man. So all was
thus arranged, and eventually came off most happily. When Mrs. Evelyn
arrived she occupied the spare room, where charming Mrs. Benson had so
deliciously initiated me in all the pleasures of sensuality and passion.

To return to the day when Mr. Vincent had his first interview, and
declared his love and admiration, and ended with the offer of marriage.
Before going away